Archbishop Michael of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey – OCA made his annual archpastoral visit to the Church of Our Lady of Kazan on Saturday, August 1 – Sunday, August 2, when he served the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. He was accompanied by Protodeacon Paul Sokol, Subdeacon Mark Fedoroff, and Subdeacon Andrew Karlgut and Mr. Benjamin Goes. His Eminence was greeted by our rector, Fr. Paul Hunchak, and our church warden, Vasil Rukavchenko.
During the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Paul was given the nabedrennik award, which is granted to priests for long and dedicated service to the church.
Following the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Michael offered memorial prayers for Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky, our long-time rector who fell asleep in the Lord, on August 3, 2021.
Archbishop Michael’s presentation of a relic of the Saint Olga of Kwethluk, Wonderworker, Matushka of All Alaska, at the end of Sunday’s service greatly moved parishioners. Saint Olga, the first female Orthodox saint in North America, was glorified in 2025. Her relics are being distributed to Orthodox parishes across North America. His Eminence also came with another very important gift: a new antimension (or antimins) bearing a relic of the Holy New Hieromartyr Basil Martysz of Poland (1874-1945), who was killed in the final days of WWII.
Thank you to Natasha Lusin, secretary of the parish council, Nicholas Sluchevsky, and Lydia Mikulko for sharing their photos.
